Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) Discussion Board

Last night at around midnight, I had my first every seizure. Luckily I was with my boyfriend and he thought fast, called 911, put me on my side while I vomited and we waited for the ambulance. I was rushed to the hospital. I regained some of my consciousness in the ambulance and was told I had had a seizure. At the hospital they ran a number of tests which came out normal. The cause of my seizure? Ultram. Ultram lowers the seizure threshold and having been on it for some time, apparently the time was right for me. I was taken immediately off of the Ultram and I have to see my family doctor and get an EEG to make finally sure that everything is okay. I will have to find another drug to help with the RLS. I was never told this was a possibility with Ultram and I wanted to make sure that everyone on Ultram was aware of this possibility. The chance of seizure increases as the dose increases, so take only exactly what you are prescribed. I am okay now. I've been pretty weak and shaky all day and am fairly exhausted, but I am in good hands with the greatest guy in the world. The bad thing is that I can't drive until I've gotten the EEG, so I am homebound. My college roommate is coming in from out of town and things will not be as clean as I would hope and I will not have all of the groceries, etc, that I need, but I'm trying to focus on what's important. I'm okay, BF is okay, I'm going to get to be with my friend and I am very blessed. If you are on Ultram, please take care.

Oh Brandy,just read your post. I am not on ultram but am soooo glad that you were not alone. Thank you for sharing that with other members who is taking the med.

Please let us know how you are doing.

Take care my friend and so glad that you have such a wonderful bf that really cares about you. You are a special young lady.

I am so glad that you are OK. It must have been frightening. I really hope the search for a new drug isn't traumatic for you. If your doctor remains unwilling to go to narcotics, you really may be ready for a new doc, as you don't have too many other options.

Our thoughts are with you. Get rested. Feel better.

And, thanks for posting that warning. If you don't mind, would you post that in the drug side effects post? It would be great if we could have it in there, too.

I'm so sorry to hear that Brandy. I hope your doctor will help you find something else that works.

I just took my first tramadol tonight, and now I just took another. I am aware of the seizure risk with tramadol. It's actually one of a multitude of drugs that lower seizure threshhold, along with opiods, antidepressants, and a whole pile of other meds. I figure that I'm almost 50 and have been on lots of meds that can elevate the risk of seizure, so I'm not too worried.

But that just sucks for you, Brandy. It seems like things were working well for you. Sigh. Back to the drawing board.

Susan

I'm aware of this.

The seizure threshold can be affected both by the fact someone may naturally be predisposed to have them, and in combinations with other drugs.
Anti-depressants in particular.

I'm surprised they didn't discuss giving you some medication to help get your seizure threshold back up to a safer level. But yeah, I'm sure that is a scary situation to be in and hope I don't ever go through it. The longest I've been on Ultram was for about two months last year. But now it may be my inky

Oh Brandy

I am so sorry you had a seizure! I'm so glad your b/f was with you. How scarey!!!!!

I didn't know Tramadol could cause seizures, either. I'm not on it, but who knows? Sometimes, the drugs we take are as bad as the RLS we take them for! Geeze!

I hope you find something to replace the Tramadol, Brandy. Please keep us informed and thanks for sharing! You are great!

Love
Jan

Hope your feeling better!

Thank you all for your kind words and encouragment. I am doing alright. It's kind of depressing to be stuck in the house and not be able to do what I want to do, but these things happen. I am going through a little bit of withdrawal as I stop Ultram cold turkey. I was given Lortab at the ER to offset that, but if I don't keep a constant supply of it in my system I start to get shaky and sweaty. About half an hour after I take it I am okay again. I don't want to get addicted and have to go through this again in a couple of days. But, I can't not take it and get sick now. I tell you - it's enough to bring even a chirpy girl down. I finally have something that works for me and I have a seizure (hands down the scariest experience of my life). Now I have to come of a med that was poison to my body but is causing withdrawal and making me sick whether I take it or don't take it. On top of that, I have to find something else that works for the RLS. Feeling rather discouraged, but I am trying to keep in mind how blessed I am. Love you all.

Brandy, here's a though - Getting off the tramadol is an emergency, but getting off the Lortab is not. It seems like they should be giving you enough to control your RLS, and the withdrawal symptoms from the tramadol, and you can worry about tapering off the narcotic later...

Like I said, it's just a thought.

Susan

Brandy,

I'm so sorry to hear that you have been through such a traumatic experience! How scary that must have been for you. I will be thinking about you and hoping that you have great luckin finding a new medication that will help you. Thank you for thinking of everyone here and posting the warning. You should have been told to watch for that- there's no excuse for not fully informing a patient of these risks. I wasn't aware of this risk with Ultram, either.

Take care- so glad you have your wonderful boyfriend to help take care of you.

Emily.

Update - After my ER trip, I was told that I could not drive until I saw my GP. Well, I had my appointment today. The verdict? I still cannot drive. My doctor is handing me - lock, stock and barrel - to a neurologist. Not just seizure stuff, but RLS stuff, too. I have an appointment on Tuesday. I still am not allowed to drive until then and am completely homebound and/or dependent on someone else to take me where I want/need to go. It also means that I have been nixed by my family doctor for RLS care. But, she had already said that she wouldn't help me anymore anyway, but it's still a little disconcerting. BF has been in bed for 2 hours and I don't know if there is any chance I will be joining him any time soon. This can get to be a lonely life, you know? I remind myself that he was there during my seizure, came home from work to drive me to my appointment and then drove me to my accupuncture appointment (which he recommended I see) and sat with me on the couch while I watched my favorite tv show. But, right now I just feel lonely and sorry for myself because I can't drive and struggle with one physical or personal issue after another and wah, wah, wah! Okay - done now. Sorry.

Woe is you, huh?



Really, it is a difficult thing to have your freedom taken away. We don't realize how much we take for granted, do we?

I can say this because it's not me, but consider that it's a good thing she is dumping you. She wasn't willing to work with you to ensure you got the care and medication you need. You need someone to help you in a different way than she can. Heck, maybe if she wouldn't have been so reluctant to allow you narcotics, this wouldn't have happened. Of course, maybe it would, as we can't know. Now you have a new chance - to find someone who will help you as you need AND deserve.

I am sorry you are alone tonight. It's a lonely place to be. Fingers are crossed that it's only for a few more days.

Don't fret, we all have our bad days and I'm sure most others have hit similar low points. I know I've felt pretty bad at times too.

It sounds like your boyfriend really cares about you and is committed to helping you cope and live your life. Hang onto him